On the first bite of a New Mexico green chile burger, your taste buds start a happy dance that continues through the last swallow.

The long green chiles grown in southern New Mexico whose varieties range in heat from mild to scorching are known for their complex flavors that include tangy, vegetal and pungent tastes. Possibly the most famous are the chiles grown around Hatch and named for the town that bills itself the Chile Capital of the World.

During the New Mexico chile season, from mid-August into September, the smell of roasting chiles fills the air in southern New Mexico. Because chile season is short, families buy chiles by the bushels to put up for the coming year.

People who haven't tasted New Mexico chiles may wonder why the peppers have a fanatical following. Anaheim chiles are available in supermarkets year-round; it's natural to think New Mexico chiles are just another kind of Anaheim. In fact, the reverse is true. Anaheim chiles were originally grown from New Mexico seeds; the Anaheim is just one of many cultivars of New Mexico pod-type chiles.

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The difference in the chiles is how they taste. Anaheim's flavor lacks the oomph of New Mexico varieties such as Big Jim, Joe E. Parker and Sandia. One of the reasons is that most Anaheims are grown outside of New Mexico. Southern New Mexico is ideally suited to growing flavorful chiles. Warm sunny days in an altitude of around 4,000 feet encourage ripening, while cool nights slow the process, creating time for greater flavor development. Add in the qualities of the region's volcanic soil, and the conditions are perfect for growing chiles with hearty, intense flavors.

Roasting green chiles

Green chiles begin to lose moisture after picking, so most green chiles are processed by roasting within a few days of leaving the fields. In addition, the skin of raw peppers is a bit tough, has a bitter component and is not easily digestible. Roasting makes the skin easy to remove, and the chiles gain a silky consistency and a smoky-earthy flavor.

During chile season, some New Mexico supermarkets — as well as Central Market, Whole Foods and some H-E-Bs here — roast chiles in wire drums rotating over propane flames. For cooks who prefer to roast their own, put the chiles on a grill over a fire, turn the peppers when the skin begins to blister and blacken and remove from heat when all sides are blackening. Roasting can also be done in an oven under a broiler.

During the festival, guests can receive get such giveaways such as a commemorative button and green chile-themed postcards. Green Chile Festival T-shirts are available for purchase.

Guests can take a picture in front of a unique "roadside attraction" at Chuy's or take a picture of their favorite festival food item and post it to Instagram with #CHUYSGREENCHILEFEST for a chance to win Chuy's for a year.

During the festival, Chuys also will sell Hatch chiles by the pound: for $2.25 for fresh chiles, $3.50 for roasted chiles and $4.50 for roasted, peeled, deseeded and diced chiles.The festival ends Sept. 8.

The unroasted chiles are available for 99 cents per pound, and the roasted chiles cost $4.99. A case of fresh chiles costs $24.75, and a case of roasted chiles sells for $29.75.

Karen Haram

After removing from heat, cover the chiles for about 10 minutes to help loosen the skin.

Preserving roasted chiles

The best way to have a supply of New Mexico chiles all year long is to buy roasted chiles in season and freeze them.

Chef Andrew Bustos of Albuquerque restaurant Lucia processes large quantities of roasted chiles for the restaurant and also buys around 100 pounds for his family's use. He recommends freezing the peppers whole by laying a few chiles flat inside a zipper-seal freezer bag and squeezing out the air as you seal. Freezing in small portions makes it easy to pull out just enough for one recipe at a time. Mark the bags with date and heat — mild, medium or hot. Stacking the bags on a cookie sheet in the freezer will conserve space by keeping the chiles flat.

Cooking with green chiles

When cooking with chiles, first, put on gloves. Spicy chiles can burn hands, eyes and other sensitive areas. Remove the pepper skins by holding the stem end and sliding your fingers down the chile. Discard the skin. Cut off the stem, slice the chile open, and scrape out the seeds. Chile expert James Ditmore says the seeds have no nutritive value and, in contrast to popular lore, do not add heat to a dish unless they carry bits of the whitish veins, where capsaicin is concentrated.

After seeding, the chile can be used whole or chopped. At home, Bustos chops enough for a few days, sprinkles them with garlic salt and stores them in a covered bowl in the refrigerator. Then he can take out a quick scoop for omelets, burgers, soups and other dishes.